Andy Murray faced a tough defeat at the ATP Challenger event in Bordeaux, losing 6-4, 6-2 to Gregoire Barrere.
Murray, who is ranked 77th, found himself down 5-0 in the first set. Despite a valiant effort to recover to 5-4, Barrere held his serve to secure the set. In the second set, Murray was broken to love in the third game and, after missing two break points in the next game, fell to 3-1. Barrere, ranked 115th, extended his lead to 5-2 before serving out to clinch the match in one hour and 27 minutes.
Overall, Murray converted three out of six break points, while Barrere capitalized on six out of seven opportunities. This tournament marked Murray’s return since suffering a ruptured ankle ligament at the Miami Open in March. He advanced past the first round after his opponent, Kyrian Jacquet, retired while trailing in the second set.
Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, has hinted that he does not plan to “play much past this summer,” though he has not specified his final tournament.
Fellow Briton Dan Evans also competed in Bordeaux, advancing to the quarter-finals with a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) victory over Frenchman Harold Mayot. Evans will face China’s Shang Juncheng in the next round.
Credit: BBC Sport
